


Steve Rogers Isn't Just Here For Iron Man and Tony Stark Isn't Just Here for Steve's Art.

by starryprose



Series: Steve Rogers and Tony Stark ARE messes [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Artist Steve Rogers, Avengers - Freeform, Boyfriends?, Cute, Engineer Tony Stark, F/M, First Date, Marvel - Freeform, SteveTony, Tony Stark Has Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-14
Packaged: 2021-01-30 11:57:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21427852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starryprose/pseuds/starryprose
Summary: After Tony saved Steve's abandoned art from the campus dumpster, and after he met Steve at a party. They have a date. One that Tony misses first because he's a disaster. But then they get around to it and Tony has to admit, it's kind of great. And Steve doesn't just want Tony for his brains, Tony doesn't just want Steve for his art. It's kind of, perfect? Tony is definitely getting that second date.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Steve Rogers and Tony Stark ARE messes [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1544764
Comments: 1
Kudos: 87





	Steve Rogers Isn't Just Here For Iron Man and Tony Stark Isn't Just Here for Steve's Art.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to do something about their date and it's not exactly the best thing I've written. It's short, it's sweet, and it's my stevetony for this universe. Hope you enjoy!

Building the ‘Iron Man’ armor as Tony called it was proving to take more time than Tony had hoped. Well, actually, building it wasn’t hard but building it to the perfection he wanted, was taking a lot of resources but Tony could work with that. It wasn’t like his classes we’re necessarily hard and he had his own lab in the warehouse he’d convinced Obidiah to let him buy once he got to access the money Howard had left him.

Tony knew the functions he wanted but between having to answer to Stark Industries’ responsibilities and his dissertations and being a college kid, Iron Man was taking awhile. A long while. He’d gotten the brilliant idea one night when he was high. It was freshman year, so, to be fair it had been a while ago, but he thought it would be cool to have a suit of armor. Not entirely for application purposes but maybe a sort of robot bodyguard? He’d been through enough ransom demands. He could use a bodyguard.

“DUM-E, where’s the-” Tony asked, leaning up from the circuits of the armor, his dark hair falling over his eyes. God, he needed a haircut but Pepper loved his curls and threw a damn fit when he cut his hair too short but it grew so fast. His helper bot, DUM-E was standing, or well resting, above him, a wrench clutched in his claw. “Thanks, DUM-E. You’re a good boy.” DUM-E chirped in happiness at the praise. The bot was closer to that of a dog; loyal and goofy. DUM-E wasn’t always reliable, he dropped things and put motor oil in Tony’s coffee but despite that, he was Tony’s first creation, and therefore amazing.

“Sir,” JARVIS’s British voice rang through the speakers Tony had set up in his lab, “There is a Steve Rogers here to see you.”

Tony’s brown eyes widened. Steve was here. Was their ‘date’ today? Shit, fuck, Tony was not prepared for this. He was wearing a crappy t-shirt and ripped jeans and he was covered in motor oil. He was in workshop mode! And Steve was most definitely probably looking amazing, with his pretty eyes. Oh, God, Tony could not do this! “UH, tell him in not here! We’ll have to reschedule! I-I’m not ready. JARVIS, do not let him in!” Tony scrambled up from the suit, snapping demands at JARVIS.

“Will do, Sir,” JARVIS said. Tony had been raised to care about appearances and when he’d come to college his care had lessened at least a little bit. But Steve was, well, Steve, and Tony desperately wanted to impress him. Tony wanted to look his best and be his best and it was stupid, he knew it was stupid. He’d only just hit it off with the art major at a party because Tony took the taller boys art from the dumpster, and that was weird, but Steve had still given him an opportunity! Steve had still answered his text messages and stayed on the phone with him for an hour the other night while Tony worked on his armor.

Sometimes Tony wished he could be what he envisioned Iron Man to be. Brave and bold and strong. Tony was being extravagant though, Steve was just a guy! An incredibly handsome guy with gorgeous eyes but just a guy nonetheless. and Tony, Tony Stark for crying out loud, couldn’t get his shit together enough for their relaxed, pre-planned date.

His phone rang and Tony scrambled.

“Hello,” Tony answered his phone quickly and likely a little out of breath from his mad dart across the workshop.

“Tony?” Steve asked. “Hey! I didn’t get the date or place wrong for our date, did I?”

“What? No! I honestly don’t even know today’s date, Steve. Sorry I’ve been uh, dealing with SI shit. If I’m the one who forgot, I’m so sorry.” Tony was lying through his teeth and that wasn’t a good sign. He’d gotten good at lying through the years, to teachers and to Howard.

“Oh! No, Tony, that’s fine. I know you’re busy.” Steve said and Tony didn’t deserve someone so understanding to be giving him the time of day.

“It probably is today and I’m missing it. But, uhm, reschedule? I know this isn’t a good impression and I totally understand if you don’t wanna give me another shot-” and oh, man, Steve wasn’t going to give him another chance, was he? Tony should’ve just showed up like he was, in all of his mess.

“Tony!” Steve exclaimed his name, and he sounded a little amused. He was laughing at Tony. “Rescheduling is fine with me. I want to hang out with you, I _like_ you.”

“You don’t know me well enough to know that’s a mistake, Rogers.” Tony replies after his sigh if relief.

“Well, I’m trying to get to know you, and I don’t think I’m going to regret it when I do know you.” The background of Steve’s call was littered with dogs barking suddenly but the reply he gave Tony warmed Tony’s heart just a bit.

“I think you’ll change your mind but I have this feeling that arguing with you is pointless.” Tony said chuckling. He was walking around the workshop now, perhaps trying to shed off his building anxiety by moving. His hand that wasn’t holding the phone was rubbing against his jeans, the material creating an odd sensation on his palm.

“It would just be a waste of time.” Steve confirmed. “My best friend, Bucky, he always says I’m too stubborn for my own good. That’s probably because he had to pull me out of way too many fights when we were kids. I was scrawny and I hated bullies, still do. Bucky was always dragging my ass out of fights.”

Tony was full out laughing now, “That sounds like you. I can see it all happening in my head. Well but less of you as scrawny, you’re all buff now.” Tony could imagine Steve blushing at that comment.

“Yeah. I got a huge growth spurt in high school and I played football, used it for a scholarship here. Whatever, means I’ll have less debt, but I think I’ll always be that scrawny kid from Brooklyn.” Steve said and Tony could hear a door shutting in the background of the call.

“Understandable.” Tony replied and then he and Steve kept talking for another couple hours. They got so lost in the conversation they forgot to even settle a date for their reschedule date. He ended up texting Steve about it.

_Tony: Friday night at eight? We can eat take burgers in my workshop. Not the most impressing date but hey, it’s the real me. _

_Steve: That sounds perfect, Tony. Do you want me to grab the burgers or will you? _

_Tony: I got them. I’ll see you Friday, Steve. Steve: See you Friday. Goodnight, Tony. :) _

********

Friday came both too slow and too soon. It filled Tony with both anxiety and excitement because he was getting to see Steve, very hot and very kind Steve, who liked him. Him! And Steve didn’t seem to want money or sex, he just wanted Tony. Tony who had to run off and work for a company, and Tony who grabbed art he liked from the trash. Just pure Tony. Steve wanted that. And that was great! But a little terrifying.

Because Steve was so good and so much more than Tony had expected and what if Tony screwed up? Tony had had relationships before.

There had been Meredith McCall when he was in fifth grade, which wasn’t really a relationship, but it would be rude not to mention Mer. In high school, there had been the disasters of Sunset Bain and Tiberius Stone, both of which he slept with, and both of which he gave up secrets. That had fucked up Tony for a bit. He and Pepper were playing some sort of skirt around feelings for a bit in college freshman year, but it never really panned out, and Tony loved Pepper as a friend.

So, when it came to relationships, Tony wasn’t great at them. He had experience in being an echo of the sort of playboy Howard Stark once had been, but Tony didn’t have a long list of ex-lovers. He was only eighteen to be fair but still.

So, he was nervous about the date. Mostly because for him, it mattered, like really mattered. He’s tempted to wear a button-up, he usually looked good in button up’s, right? But also he was going to be messing with the armor and he could 100% buy a new shirt, but was it worth messing up one he already owned? The answer was no, definitely not. Instead, Tony decided on actual nice jeans and a nice t-shirt which was kind of a rarity for him, but hey, he’d pull out all the stops for Steve Rogers. By the time it was time for their date, Tony was practically vibrating with his tension.

“Sir, Steve Rogers is here.” JARVIS’s British accent rang out.

“Uhm, okay. Let him up, JARVIS.” Tony said, wiping hands across his jeans in nervousness. It didn’t take long for the elevator to ding and announce Steve’s arrival. When the doors opened Steve was standing there like some sort of Greek God. He was wearing a blue button-down, dark jeans, a duffel bag on his shoulder, and an easy grin. His blonde hair was standing up a little bit and his blue eyes were soft.

“Tony,” Steve greeted and Tony almost shivered with the way the other boy said his name. “Hi. How are you?”

“I’m good. Uh, how are you? Is that holding your art?” Tony gestured to the duffel bag on Steve’s shoulder and Steve’s blue eyes followed Tony’s pointing.

“Yeah, it is. You said you wanted to see some of my better work, it’s in here. It’s still not that good but.” Steve shrugged. “I’m sure your work is much more like real art.”

“Yeah, no way. I’m sure your art is amazing, Steve, but if you do want to see the armor, it’s over here.” Tony took a step back before turning on his heel to walk over to where the red and gold armor was set up. He knew Steve was following him and oddly Tony was a bit self-conscious. It was true that he was more at ease around Steve, at least at ease quicker than he had been around anyone else but Rhodey, but still, he wanted to impress Steve. Steve took long strides and took place next to Tony.

Before they could get to Iron Man though, DUM-E came barreling forward, his claw outreached and his speakers went static with his loud beeping. Steve jumped a little, startled by the suddenness of DUM-E’s appearance.

“DUM-E, no! DUM-E, don’t smother Steve. Come here you bucket of bolts.” Tony said, turning to snatch the tennis ball that sat on the table. When he turned back, Steve was glancing at DUM-E curiously, his hand resting on his claw. “Oh, don’t fulfill his desires, Steve. He’s a needy piece of work.”

“He’s.. _cute,_” Steve replied, tilting his head as he rubbed over DUM-E’s claw. DUM-E was beeping, soft and drawn-out beeps, his claw tilting into Steve’s warm hand. And Tony was not jealous that his fucking helper bot was basically holding Steve’s hand before he got to. Tony tossed the tennis ball into the air, letting the florescent green object fall back into his hand before he rolled it underhanded over to the charging station. DUM-E’s claw opened wide and he beeped again, rolling quickly over to the ball. Steve smiled fondly after the bot.

“Yeah, yeah, he’s alright,” Tony said with a nonchalant shrug. He grabbed Steve’s hand and _wow_. Steve’s hand was warm and surprisingly soft, unlike Tony’s rough and scarred hands from years of working with his hands in ways that meant they were roughed up, not stained with paint in the way Steve’s were. “Come on, we’ve gotta see what you really came for.” Steve followed without resist, tightening his grip on Tony’s hand, and yeah Tony kind of needed Steve to never let go of his hand, that sounded like a great idea. And Tony was a genius, he always had great ideas.

“So, this is Iron Man.” Tony waved his free hand in an arc over the armor that laid out on the table. Steve let go of Tony’s hand as he stepped forward, and Tony already missed the weight of his hand.

“Wow. Tony this is, this is” Steve was speechless, his blue eyes wide. “Tony, this is amazing.”

“Thanks,” Tony replied, ducking his head as he felt the blood rush to his cheeks.

*****

They spent hours in the workshop. Somewhere in between looking through Iron Man and Steve’s art (which was amazing), they ate greasy burgers and just talked. Steve also lazily tossed the tennis ball for DUM-E and Tony got to watch the way the muscles in Steve’s arms flexed some. And God, that was something he’d never get tired of seeing.

It was nearly midnight when Steve said he probably ought to get going and he looked sad about it. He’d pushed his sleeves up at one point and run his hands through his hair so it was all mussed up and it was maybe good he was leaving. His presence wouldn’t drive Tony so crazy but Tony wondered if Steve’s absence would perhaps be worse. Tony really wanted to kiss Steve, but maybe he could save that for the second date. If there was a second date, which Tony really really hoped there was going to be. He walked Steve to the elevator and when they got there Steve stopped and he grabbed Tony’s hand and something in Tony settled again.

“Earlier you said what I really came here to see was Iron Man, and yes, he was very cool, but, Tony, I really just came to see you,” Steve said and he squeezed Tony’s hand. “I figured you knew that, but I wanted to make sure you did.”

And Tony definitely didn’t know that. Okay, well, he did but, at the same time he didn’t. In Tony’s logical mind, of course, Steve was there to see him. But in Tony’s self-deprecating brain, Steve was there for Tony’s smarts and nothing else. It was a nice reminder.

“And I wanted to see you not just your art,” Tony replied because that seemed like what he should say back and it was the truth. Steve chucked, all warm and kind like Steve’s entirety. Steve pulled his hand away from Tony’s again and he smiled at Tony again.

“I really need to get going but you should call me,” Steve said.

“Does that, uh, mean I’ll get a second date?” Tony asked.

“If you want a second date, I want a second date,” Steve replied and Tony could tell he was honest.

“I’ll be calling you then.”

“Good,” Steve said and his smile was wide.

“Goodnight, Tony.”

“Night, Cap.”

“Oh, God. Not you too.” Steve whined and the elevator doors were already shutting while Tony laughed loudly.


End file.
